Method for generating direction information of omnidirectional image and device for performing the method

Abstract

A method for generating direction information of an omnidirectional image and a device for performing the method. The method for generating direction information of an omnidirectional image can include the steps of: a direction information processing device receiving direction information of an omnidirectional image; and the direction information processing device setting a direction indicator with respect to the omnidirectional image on the basis of the direction information, wherein the direction indicator can indicate at least one direction on a playback screen of the omnidirectional image.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of generating direction information of an omnidirectional image, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a direction information processing device, direction information of an omnidirectional image; and 
 setting, by the direction information processing device, a direction indicator for the omnidirectional image on the basis of the direction information, 
 wherein the direction indicator indicates at least one direction on a playback screen of the omnidirectional image, 
 wherein the direction information processing device further sets an object location indicator based on an object of interest, 
 wherein the object of interest is determined when at least one object is present within a threshold range at least for a predetermined time, and a current line-of-sight direction of a user is at the center of the threshold range, and 
 wherein the predetermined time includes a first time point and a second time point, and the object of interest is determined when the at least one object is present within the threshold range of a first line-of-sight direction at the first time point and the threshold range of a second line-of-sight direction at the second time point. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the direction information is generated by a direction sensor unit when the omnidirectional image is generated, and
 the direction indicator indicates the at least one direction determined from among 360-degree directions based on a specific axis on the basis of the direction information. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the direction indicator includes a photographer's line-of-sight direction indicator, and
 the photographer's line-of-sight direction indicator indicates a line-of-sight direction of a photographer who has captured the omnidirectional image. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the omnidirectional image is generated on the basis of a plurality of images respectively captured by a plurality of image capturing units included in an omnidirectional image processing device, and
 the direction information indicates an image-capturing direction of at least one of the plurality of images. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one direction indicated by the direction indicator is determined on the basis of a direction based on the direction information, information on an overlapping area between the plurality of images, and field-of-view information of each of the plurality of images. 
     
     
       6. A direction information processing device for generating direction information of an omnidirectional image, the device comprising:
 a communication unit configured to receive direction information of an omnidirectional image; and 
 a processor configured to be operatively connected to the communication unit and set a direction indicator for the omnidirectional image on the basis of the direction information, 
 wherein the direction indicator indicates at least one direction on a playback screen of the omnidirectional image, 
 wherein the processor is further configured to set an object location indicator based on an object of interest, 
 wherein the object of interest is determined when at least one object is present within a threshold range at least for a predetermined time, and a current line-of-sight direction of a user is at the center of the threshold range, and 
 wherein the predetermined time includes a first time point and a second time point, and the object of interest is determined when the at least one object is present within the threshold range of a first line-of-sight direction at the first time point and the threshold range of a second line-of-sight direction at the second time point. 
 
     
     
       7. The direction information processing device of  claim 6 , wherein the direction information is generated by a direction sensor unit when the omnidirectional image is generated, and
 the direction indicator indicates the at least one direction determined from among 360-degree directions based on a specific axis on the basis of the direction information. 
 
     
     
       8. The direction information processing device of  claim 7 , wherein the direction indicator includes a photographer's line-of-sight direction indicator, and
 the photographer's line-of-sight direction indicator indicates a line-of-sight direction of a photographer who has captured the omnidirectional image. 
 
     
     
       9. The direction information processing device of  claim 8 , wherein the omnidirectional image is generated on the basis of a plurality of images respectively captured by a plurality of image capturing units included in an omnidirectional image processing device, and
 the direction information indicates an image-capturing direction of at least one of the plurality of images. 
 
     
     
       10. The direction information processing device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one direction indicated by the direction indicator is determined on the basis of a direction based on the direction information, information on an overlapping area between the plurality of images, and field-of-view information of each of the plurality of images. 
     
     
       11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the direction information processing device generates a line-of-sight drawing indicator to draw the current line-of-sight direction of the user to a predetermined direction in the omnidirectional image, and the line-of-sight drawing indicator is generated with account of the current line-of-sight direction of the user. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein assuming an image capturing space as a three-dimensional space formed by an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis, at least one of the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis is determined as a reference axis, a predetermined direction is set as a reference direction based on the reference axis, and the direction indicator indicates a directional value that is relative from the reference direction. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein when the object of interest deviates from the threshold range, the direction information processing device gives a user information on a direction in which the object of interest moves by generating the object location indicator. 
     
     
       15. The direction information processing device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor generates a line-of-sight drawing indicator to draw the current line-of-sight direction of the user to a predetermined direction in the omnidirectional image, and the line-of-sight drawing indicator is generated with account of the current line-of-sight direction of the user. 
     
     
       16. The direction information processing device of  claim 6 , wherein assuming an image capturing space as a three-dimensional space formed by an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis, at least one of the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis is determined as a reference axis, a predetermined direction is set as a reference direction based on the reference axis, and the direction indicator indicates a directional value that is relative from the reference direction. 
     
     
       17. The direction information processing device of  claim 6 , wherein when the object of interest deviates from the threshold range, the processor gives a user information on a direction in which the object of interest moves by generating the object location indicator.